WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Chairman Jeff Miller released the following statement regarding the House vote on the Honoring our Promise to America’s Veterans Act.

“Today, more than 160 House Democrats chose to put politics before the needs of America’s veterans and their loved ones. November payments to veterans and their survivors for a variety of earned benefits are now in jeopardy in the event of a prolonged government shutdown. Our veterans have already gone above and beyond for our nation. The last thing they deserve is for the country they courageously defended to abandon them. It’s unfortunate that some in Congress seem to be fighting to ensure that happens.” – Rep. Jeff Miller, Chairman, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

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Background

The Honoring our Promise to America’s Veterans Act would have ensured that veterans in receipt of VA disability compensation, pension, GI Bill, and other critical benefits could continue to receive those benefits in the event of a prolonged government shutdown. The bill would have also funded the Veterans Benefits Administration at President Obama’s Fiscal Year 2014 requested operational level, ensuring VA claims processing efforts could continue at normal rates. A similar proposal has been introduced in the Senate by Sens. Sanders, Hirono, Begich, Tester, and Blumenthal.

Today Chairman Jeff Miller released the following statement after Rep. Phil Roe was elected by the Republican Steering Committee to serve as House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs chairman for the 115th Congress.